Jowell husband given jail term

Sunday 18 January 2009 00:02 BST

David Mills, the estranged husband of Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, has been sentenced to four and a half years in jail for taking a bribe from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to give false evidence in corruption trials.

Mills, 64, was convicted by a court in Milan at the end of a three-year trial on charges of accepting a 600,000 dollar (then £350,000) payment from the politician and media tycoon.

In a statement released after the verdict, Mills protested his innocence and said he was hopeful he would be cleared on appeal.

He said: "I am naturally very disappointed by this verdict. I am innocent, but this is a highly political case.

"The judges have not yet given their reasons for their decision, so I cannot say how they dealt with the prosecutor's own admission that he had no proof.

"I am hopeful that the verdict and sentence will be set aside on appeal and am told that I will have excellent grounds, and have every faith in my excellent lawyer, Federico Cecconi.

"The sentence does not become effective for any purpose until two levels of appeal have been concluded.

"I have been advised not to make any further public comment on the case until it has finally come to an end. Meanwhile, I am getting on with my professional life."

Ms Jowell said the verdict was "a terrible blow" and that she had "never doubted" her estranged husband's innocence.